


Missed Opportunities

by flannelflowers



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies), Thor (Movies)
Genre: Can you even have a story without darcy tasing someone?, Darcy Lewis's Taser, Darcy tries to cheer everyone up, F/M, Fluff and Angst, No Smut, Triple Agent Rumlow, just kissing and some grinding, sad avengers, soft Rumlow, taserbones
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-08
Updated: 2019-04-08
Packaged: 2020-01-07 00:48:22
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,203
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18399731
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/flannelflowers/pseuds/flannelflowers
Summary: Post-Snap Au. Darcy watched her best friend turn into dust right in front of her eyes. Days later Darcy still has no idea what to do, until someone shows up to help her. She recognizes the man but he looks like he's been through hell. Returning to the Avengers, Darcy finds everyone is suffering. Darcy tries to cheer everyone up and maybe reconnect with the handsome man.





	Missed Opportunities

**Author's Note:**

> I just want to know what happened to Darcy.

It had been three days since Jane disappeared right in front of Darcy. She literally turned to dust, crumbling into nothing. She’d been in the middle of messing with some thing-ma-jig that Darcy was forbidden to touch when she stated she felt funny. One second she was there and the next she was gone. Eventually Darcy broke Jane’s rule and had to turn off the machine when she realized Jane wouldn’t be returning. The news had no answer to what had happened but only that it affected the whole world, millions of people just gone in a blink of an eye. Another fight with aliens had occurred in Wakanda, all the usual superhero suspects were in attendance. Darcy assumed it was all connected. Unfortunately, she had no way to contact the heroes left after.  

The last 72 hours Darcy spent wracking her brain, trying to problem solve but what could she do? She was only good at taking care of Jane, making sure the scientist ate and slept at some point each day. That didn’t do any good now that Jane was gone. Erik Selvig must’ve disappeared too because he wasn’t answering any of Darcy’s calls and he always answered her calls, even if he was in the middle of something, anything really. Selvig loved Darcy. Also her mom, her only family, hadn’t answered either. Now Darcy was all alone.  

She was busy moping when she heard footsteps in the hall of the lab. With everyone gone she had nowhere to go, so she stayed where she knew Jane would come back to if she returned. But the footsteps were too heavy to be Jane’s. She quickly grabbed one of her many tasers she had stashed around the lab. From previous experience she learned one could never have too many weapons, even if some creatures were immune to the shock, it made her feel better. The noise stopped at the door and paused for a moment before she saw the handle turn and the door pushed in. A dark-haired man stepped in the room. 

“Lewis?” He called out.  

Darcy had her taser raised at his back. 

“Who the hell are you?” She tried to sound intimidating. 

The man slowly turned to face her. He had scarring on his face and worse on his neck, but it looked like it was mostly healed. His skin that wasn’t scarred was tan and he had some patches of scruff on his jaw. His dark hair screamed Italian. She met his eyes and that’s what gave him away. She was always attracted to pretty eyes and his honey brown eyes were ones she’d seen before. 

“You’re Crossbones!!” She gasped before pulling the trigger. 

The shock from her taser barely made him flinch. He held his hands up as if he wasn’t a threat but she knew what he’d done. He was supposed to be dead. He pulled the prongs of the taser out of his chest. 

“Yes, I was but I go by Brock. I’m not here to hurt you.” He said as he looked into her eyes. 

Darcy rolled her eyes. 

“Okay notorious bad guy, why should I believe you?”  

“Because if I wanted you dead, you’d be dead but that’s the last thing I want.” He looked around the lab. “Did Dr. Foster disappear?” 

Darcy nodded as a knot formed in her throat thinking about Jane. 

“Grab what you need and we’ll get out of here. What’s left of the Avengers are headed to their headquarters. You’ll be safest with them.” 

On one hand what he said made sense but she didn’t trust him. 

“How did you know that I was here?” 

The lab they were at was high in the mountains in Canada. It was a fairly new facility and Jane was convinced to come use their brand-new shiny telescopes. 

“It took me three days with some trial and error. There’s lots of labs you ladies frequent.” He smirked.  

“I...I...” She didn’t know what to say. He'd been looking for her since whatever it was happened. 

“I know you don’t trust me but you trust Thor right? I know he is still alive, so is Romanoff and Cap I can get you to them.” 

Hearing Thor, Steve and Natasha were okay made Darcy feel a tiny bit better. She looked around the lab and wondered what her other option was. Stay here waiting for Jane to magically come back, didn’t sound promising. If he could get her to Thor maybe the two of them could figure out how to get Jane back. 

“You try any funny business, and I mean any at all, my ghost will haunt you for all eternity.” Darcy threatened. 

“Yes mam.” 

 

As they traveled, Brock didn’t try any funny business but she did catch him looking at her several times. She assumed it was because she was a flight risk. Her SHIELD file had several negative notes about being uncooperative and she remembered he had been a jack-booted thug. He explained that he’d been a deep triple agent during the Hydra uprising and Triskellion collapse. So deep that only Fury had knowledge of his true allegiance, not even Steve knew. After they saved him, he did some dirty work for Fury by collecting SHIELD and Hydra weapons around the world under the name Crossbones. The accident in Lagos was the last one. Fury came clean with Steve, who used his disappointed face on him and Rumlow for quite a while. Jack Rollins, his best friend, had also been undercover with him. Brock was tense as he shared that his best friend disappeared as well. 

She eventually opened up about how she ended up with Jane, their time in desert, then the snow, then London and the elves. She guessed he knew most of the details from being SHIELD but he listened intently anyway. He surprised her with how talkative he was. Darcy was usually the chatty one with most people but he kept up conversation whenever they were both awake. He was funny, although the circumstances were anything but. They would share a laugh and then something would remind them what was happening and spoil the mood. 

 

When they arrived at the Avengers facility Darcy couldn’t stop the tears that fell down her face when she saw the disappointment in Thor’s eyes when Jane didn’t appear with her. The pair were broken up but only because logistically it wasn’t working out. Hard to date a guy when he’s all over the galaxy, Darcy once told Jane. But Darcy knew they both deeply loved each other. Steve was hesitant to let Brock stay but Natasha vouched for him. The Russian understood how being undercover went.  

Darcy was shocked to learn about Thanos and the snap that made all their friends disappear. She’d never seen the heroes so down in the dumps. It was clear that everyone felt the loss. Days turned in to weeks that turned into months. She realized at the state of things if Brock hadn’t gone and found her, she probably would’ve been left on her own. Everyone was dealing with it in their own ways but Brock was never really accepted by the others. Darcy decided everyone needed a pick me up and she knew how to get Brock involved. 

Everyone was circled around Fury’s pager once again debating about who was on the other end of it. Brock was arguing that he trusted Fury with his life and whoever it was they could trust too. Darcy would’ve never guessed that Crossbones would be the one who was positive, trying to bring the team together. Steve had lost Bucky, again, he was nowhere near his usual Captain America self.  

Darcy cleared her throat. 

“Excuse me, Brock can I borrow you?” 

His eyes showed surprise momentarily before recovering. 

“Of course.” He turned to the others. “Leave that thing alone. We need whatever help we can get.” He said before following Darcy down the hall. 

“What do you need, sweetheart?”  

His nickname for her warmed her chest. 

“I need your Italian expertise.” 

His eyebrows raised, not expecting that. He followed her into the large kitchen where she already had several pots going. 

“I decided I’m tired of everyone’s moping, however warranted, so we’re doing a family dinner. Italian, hence why I need your help.” 

“That’s a uhh great idea, Darcy.” Brock said slowly smiling. Darcy shrugged. 

“It’s not like I have any other skills to offer. I’m not even all that good at cooking but I can do pasta.” 

“What do you mean?” Brock asked as he looked over the pots. 

“I just mean between me and Jane, I’m sure everyone wished Jane was here instead of me.” 

“Don’t say that.” He looked pained and almost angry.  

“Well she’s the genius, not me. I’m only good at keeping obsessive types from dying.” 

“I think that’s more important at the moment. You saw how everyone was when we first got here. You’re why we’re all still working together. You’re the heart Darcy.” 

Darcy could help the blush that climbed up her neck to her cheeks. 

Brock jumped in and seasoned the sauces while Darcy worked on getting the garlic bread in the oven.  

“Here taste this.” Brock held a spoon to her lips.  

Darcy leaned forward taking a small taste. She licked her lips and caught him looking at her again.  

“Mmmm that’s good.” Darcy complimented. 

“Grandma’s recipe.”  

“What’s in it?” 

Brock shook his head. 

“Nope. Family secret.” 

“Let me guess. You could tell me but then you’d have to kill me.” 

“Something like that.” He smirked. 

They got back to work and Darcy set the table. She instructed Friday to notifying everyone when dinner was ready and to power down areas if anyone refused to join them. Darcy watched Brock in the kitchen finishing their meal. The words that had been on her mind since that day in the lab fell out of her mouth before she could stop them. 

“Why did you come get me that day?” 

Brock froze, she could see the tension in his shoulders. He set the spoon he was using down and slowly turned around leaning against the counter. She forced herself to focus on his words and not his arms when he crossed them across his chest. 

“Do you remember when you and Dr. Foster came to SHIELD after New York?” 

Darcy thought back.  

_Her and Jane had been in Norway when the attack on New York happened. They saw Thor on the tv in the chaos. Jane was relieved to see him but terrified that he was in an all-out fight with aliens. As they picked up their lab and flew back to the States, Jane’s worry turned to anger because by the time they arrived Thor was already gone with Loki._ _Fair to say she was a handful for Darcy._  

_Fury_ _tracked them down and_ _flew them in a_ _quinjet_ _to DC for a meeting attempting to recruit Jane to SHIELD. Darcy had no interest in being in the meeting because she knew Jane would never join the jack-booted thugs. Darcy had been in search of coffee because jetlag was a bitch, when she ran into a wall of muscle._ _Him._  

_The man turned around and Darcy was immediately struck at how handsome he was. His honey colored eyes took in her messy appearance. She wore a large sweater and her galaxy leggings. He looked like a jack-booted thug but after finding out poor Phil died in New York she decided to let go of her vendetta over her ipod._  

_“I’m sorry. I was looking for coffee. Although you are tall, dark, and strong.” Darcy shook her head. “I’m sorry, again. Jetlag brain has no filter.”_  

_He smirked at her flirting._  

_“No problem. I can show you where to find some if you’d like.”_  

_“Thank you so much.”_  

_As they walked he spoke up._  

_“So you’re the famous Darcy Lewis?”_  

_“Famous? You know who I am?”_  

_“Of course. You_ _tased_ _Thor. I also hear you’re brilliant with the science ones. A useful skill for here at SHIELD.”_  

_Darcy laughed._  

_“You can stop sucking up. I have absolutely no sway with Jane’s decision. She’s stubborn that way. She points and we go. Sorry bud.”_  

_“Damn. Will you at least tell Fury I gave you an exceptional_ _shpill_ _?_ _”_ _His smile was ridiculously charming._  

_“If you get me to coffee in the next 30 seconds.”_ _She bargained._  

_“Good thing we’re here.” He gestured to a coffee machine inside what looked like a break room._  

_“Oh Thank Frigga.”_  

_He laughed behind her._  

_“_ _So_ _what’s your name or do they just assign you a number here?” Darcy asked when she saw he didn’t leave._  

_“Brock Rumlow.”_  

_Darcy laughed._  

_“That sounds like a soap opera name.”_  

_“_ _Is t_ _hat good or bad_ _?_ _”_  

_Darcy shrugged._  

_“Just fact. What do you do here?”_  

_“I’m STRIKE Alpha Commander.”_  

_“_ _Oohh_ _sounds important even though I have no idea what that means.” Darcy finally got a drink of the liquid caffeine, she moaned._  

_Brock shifted his weight as he explained what he did._ _She wondered if she made him uncomfortable with the explicit noises she’d just made. Coffee tended to do that to her. He was impressive. Lead of a super skilled group of deadly dudes._  

_“We actually just recruited Cap to join our team.”_  

_“Captain America? Impressive.”_  

_“I was hoping to.”_  

_“Impress me?”_  

_He nodded._  

_“Why?”_  

_He only smiled a devilishly handsome smile. They were interrupted when Darcy’s phone chirped in her sweater pocket._  

_“If there’s any chance you do stick around, I'd love to take you out, show you the city.”_ _Brock offered._  

_“I’d like that.”_  

 

They never did get to go on that date because Jane of course refused Fury’s offer and the two women were off to their next scientific discovery. The next time Darcy saw Brock was on tv arresting Steve. The reports didn’t shine him favorably through the whole mess and then he became Crossbones. Darcy had thought she dodged a bullet not potentially dating a super villain but it turns out he was one of the good guys, one of the best actually. He did what was necessary and sacrificed himself to take Hydra down.  

Darcy finally nodded answering his question. 

“I remember, soap opera star.” 

Brock chuckled before rubbing his chin. He seemed nervous. 

“I remember being blown away at how beautiful you were. Your file labeled you as difficult but you were anything but. I was so disappointed when you didn’t stay. I know it was Jane’s decision but I was still bummed. I was really looking forward to that date. Then my whole world collapsed, literally underneath a fucking building. And maybe I’m romanticizing that memory but your face was what I saw when I recovered. I mean weird right?” Brock gave a self-depreciating laugh.  

“Kinda weird but not terrible.”  

“You’re sweet but you don’t owe me anything. I came to find you because I wanted to make sure you were alive. You got me through all that shit I thought maybe I could make sure you got through this.”  

Darcy slowly walked up to him still leaning against the counter, now with his arms on the counter for support.  

“So what’s stopping you now?” 

He raised an eyebrow questioningly.  

“Why haven’t you taken me out now?” She clarified. 

“C’mon Darcy. Look at me.” He gestured to his scars. Helen Cho had worked on him but the time needed in the cradle to get rid of all the scarring was extensive and Brock believed they had more important things to do. “I’m hideous and practically twice your age. You deserve someone better, sweetheart.” 

“Why don’t you let me decide what I deserve. And you sir, are not hideous. In fact I think you were almost too good looking before.” Darcy teased. “Something had to bring you down to our mere-mortal level. Plus Steve is like 100. If he can look that good on serum and you’ve got some concoction in you, I’m not concerned about age.” 

“Darcy.” He said as she stepped closer their chests almost touching but she continued. 

“No, I’d rather think about the good things you’ve done. You came and got me when no else did. How you’re the one that isn’t letting the others lose hope. You, Brock Rumlow, are one of the good guys. Accept it.” 

Before he could deny it, Darcy leaned forward pressing her lips to his. She could tell he was resisting until she slid her hands up his hard chest. His hands circled her waist as he returned the kiss tenfold. Darcy knew he’d be a good kisser and she was not disappointed. Her soft body up against his hard muscles felt better than she imagined. Brock slipped one hand down to her ass and gave her a squeeze causing her to moan into his mouth. In a blink of an eye, Brock scooped her up off the floor and set her on the counter top. He made himself at home between her legs. His hands travelled up her sides to hold her face. He held her to him, like she was something precious. Darcy loved it but needed more. He’d lit a fire in her and now she was burning. She ran her nails down his back and bit his lip. Brock got the memo and became more aggressive. Both hissed in pleasure as they rolled their hips into each other. His dick hard and straining in his pants. Darcy could already feel herself getting wet for him. For a split second she was mad at Jane for not giving SHIELD a chance, Darcy could’ve done this years ago. But immediately felt guilty for thinking that while Jane no longer existed. The somber thought slowed Darcy down and Brock noticed. He pulled back from her neck where he’d been giving her sloppy kisses and bites. 

“What’s wrong?” 

“I just had a thought but now I feel guilty.” 

Brock gently raised her chin to meet her eye. 

“Tell me.” 

Darcy took a deep breath. On one hand she needed to calm down because she was so worked up but she was also on the verge of tears for her best friend. 

“I was just thinking if Jane had taken the job, we could’ve done this years ago. But she’s not here anymore so that makes me an asshole.” 

“We’re going to bring everyone back.” He said fiercely. 

“I hope so.” 

They held each other’s eyes, when they heard someone clear their throat. 

They pulled apart enough to look at the doorway to see Natasha and Clint smirking, Bruce blushing, and Steve and Thor shocked. Brock stepped back out from her legs but left a hand on her waist. 

“Good. Everyone’s here.” Darcy said dropping down off the counter beside Brock. “Dinner is ready.” 

“What about the show?” Clint joked as the heroes took their seats. Although he was teasing her, Darcy was glad that at least one of the heroes was slowly becoming themselves again. 

“Sorry birdbrain, I’d like to enjoy it in private first.” Darcy looked over at Brock. 

The heated look Brock gave her left her burning all throughout dinner. 

 


End file.
